The present inventive device and method relates to the general field of indicators, particularly those indicators that signal a position or location through human senses such as sight and touch. More specifically, the invention is concerned with placement of markers within text and pictorial material, and the like, marking one or more pages for subsequent identification and recall. The present invention is particularly applicable, though not intended as limited, to catalogues, magazines, text books, songbooks, trade journals, and so on.
For many years, perhaps even centuries, people have felt the need to keep track of certain pages of books and magazines, and the like, for later recall. They have done this through a variety of means and methods. Most commonly, such efforts have included the well-worn “dog-ear” method where a portion, typically a corner, of a page of interest is turned or folded inwardly. This, of course, does the job of temporarily marking a page, but it has unwelcome consequences.
A dog-eared page is often permanently deformed. This is not a good thing if the book or magazine is on loan, as from a public library or commercial enterprise (for example, catalogues of pages representing wedding gowns or collections of interior décor layouts). Besides, the folded page corners are not visible from a general inspection of the book or magazine. Thus, to revisit a previously marked page requires a close look at the book or magazine edges, or an exercise in page-flipping, to discern their existence and location.
Another popular way of temporarily marking page locations is through the use of strips of paper or other material torn or cut from any convenient material (often a magazine subscription insert, napkin, or matchbook cover). Such markers are unsightly, of course, and fairly unreliable in that they are easily dislodged and may slip deeply within the book or magazine periphery or even fall away to become permanently lost.
A number of other temporary markers have evolved over the years, including the application of plastic tape (e.g., Scotch Tape®) or other adhesive strip material. Also called into play are the well-known paper clips, and a range of other metallic clips, plastic and cardboard dividers, or the glued-on edge-marking tabs, all of which may tear and deform the pages to which they are applied. Besides, these items are neither inexpensive nor readily available when needed.
Thus, a variety of alternatives have evolved, particularly in the wake of the development of temporary tacking agents in the form of non-aggressive adhesive substances. The emergence of such flagging implements as Post-It Notes® and other similar tacky tabs and markers has given birth to a vast variety of forms and formulations of page indicators and marking methods. These have included specially shaped tabs or marker flags, theme oriented flags, and readily dispensed flags or marking tabs. The patent literature reflects these developments, as will be discussed herebelow.
Esselmann, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,783, discloses indicia-bearing tabs or labels contained within a dispensing sheet for incorporation within a book such as a telephone directory, dictionary or the like. Esselmann's tabs, releasably secured to a thin backing sheet, may be applied to book pages to designate various alphabetical headings, sub-headings, categories or divisions and so on.
The facing sheet and liner described in Esselmann's patent have overlying, extended edges for binding the label dispensing sheet proper within the book with corresponding portions of these extended edges being die cut and perforated, respectively, to form a lock and release construction holding the sheet securely in place in the book while permitting its ready removal therefrom during tab assembly to the book pages.
Esselmann's labels or tabs have extended right and left halves for adhesively contacting opposite sides of the book pages. The labels or tabs are separated one from another by a scored center or crack line to insure ready, accurate folding of the labels during assembly to the book pages. The labels have edge markings such as dashes for aligning the labels with the edges of the book pages during assembly so as to insure the labels or tabs have a uniform projection therefrom for ease of visibility and to present an extension suitable for gripping contact by the book user in turning to a desired section of the book.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,182, inventor Schwandt presents an information relocating system comprising an indexing apparatus with a wide range of uses. Schwandt's preferred embodiment comprises a central index with an index portion and a marking portion printed on a layer of sheet stock with adhesive backing.
Schwandt's markers are die-cut from the same layer of sheet stock as the central index and have unique identifiers corresponding to unique identifiers on the marking portion of the central index. The markers and the central index are completely severed from each other and held adjacent by their mutual releasable attachment to a common backing sheet.
A portion of Schwandt's backing sheet is removable to allow attachment of the device to a document or other surface, the remaining portion serves to hold the markers adjacent to the central index. In one embodiment, Schwandt's central index and the markers are initially printed on the same layer of substrate, such as sheet stock coated with a permanent adhesive of the type used in Avery® labels, or temporary adhesive such as that used on Post-it Notes®.
In Ericson's U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,152 Ericson, a label dispensing sheet is described as including a backing sheet having a layer of a pressure sensitive adhesive releasing material on one face and a weakened line across its width, a row of adhesive labels releasably disposed on the backing sheet overlying the weakened line, and a release strip releasably disposed on the backing overlying the weakened line.
Ericson goes on to describe the release strip as having a weakened line at a position offset from the weakened line in the backing. This permits a user to grasp and pull away the release strip, exposing the ends of the labels for easy removal. The labels may, for example, be thin, plastic index tabs for labeling book pages.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,628 issued to Muller, the inventor discloses a text tabbing system and method, which provides a Bible topic referencing system and method. The system and method employ adhesive-backed tabs to locate Bible verses corresponding to various pre-selected topics found in the Bible. The tabs are arranged in linear rows corresponding to a topic and picture icons are contained on the tabs and correspond to the various pre-selected topics.
In Olson's U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,273, (henceforth, '273) the inventor discloses a single or multi-functional reference marker apparatus for paginated and non-paginated publications, portfolios and other supporting substrates. The reference marker apparatus having one or more other applications as receptacle marker, index marker, game marker and coupon marker and may carry subordinate reference marker(s).
Olson's ('273) apparatus consisting of at least one reference marker is formed from multi-faced substrate including the support/covering substrate(s) which may be articulated and/or non-articulated to the reference marker or markers. Each reference marker has at least one attaching area on at least one face of at least one mounting portion of the multi-faced substrate.
In Olson's U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,827, ('827) the inventor describes a reference-aid article to be used as an index marker, game marker, or coupon marker. The reference-aid is formed from a multi-faced substrate which is adapted to accept information on at least one of the faces. The substrate also has at least one marker member and at least one removably protective substrate means releasably attached to the substrate. Olson, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,442 ('442), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,189 ('189) shows various arrangements including identifier tabs associated with an index or menu. The tabs and index may be manufactured along with the publication.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,824, ('824) issued to Olson, discloses a reference-aid publication supplement that comprises at least one marker member which may be a marker panel portion supplied with a publication for the purpose of indexing so as to rapidly retrieve and access publication information contained therein. Each marker member may be formed or shaped from double-faced flexible sheet substrate unitarily or independently therefrom by at least one line of separations, severable line means, separable line means.
Olson's patent ('824) further discloses that one face of each marker member has at least one predetermined attachment area with one or more flexible adhesive layer attached thereto and covered by a removable protective sheet means. A non-aggressive, low adhesion adhesive of a releasable and reusable pressure sensitive type permits the markers to be re-mountable.
Bidanset, in U.S. Patent Application No. 20030178840, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,906, teaches a page marking device that is part of a book. Specifically, the book has a tab assembly carrier with a plurality of removable tabs disposed on the carrier. A printed indicium is located on each of the tabs. The tabs are secured to the carrier by a non-aggressive adhesive allowing the tabs to be removed from the carrier relocated and/or removed again as required by the user of the device. Printed indicia may also be located on or beneath said carrier.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20030151245 filed by Levine discloses an advertising apparatus and method utilizing a sheet of pre-cut removable and repositionable page marking stickers to be inserted into a magazine or other publication. The individual page markers can selectively include advertisements printed on the bottom surfaces of the markers, which include adhesive, as well as on the sheet surfaces underlying the page markers.
Levine further shows advertisements printed on the underside of a page marker (including under the adhesive) and on the associated portion of underlying sheet which may directly or indirectly relate to or correspond to one another. These are exposed when the marker is peeled from the underlying sheet to mark a page of interest in the magazine for later reference. The advertisement on the marker is highly visible when the marker is used to mark a page. The advertisement on the exposed underlying sheet is visible whenever that page is open.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,257,623 and 6,349,970, both issued to Fero, present a printed publication having integrated labels or bookmarks, as well as a method for manufacturing same. The printed publication includes a plurality of pages and a cover, at least one of which includes a plurality of bookmarks releasably adhered thereto. The bookmarks can be individually removed by the user, and repositioned elsewhere within the publication for marking and later reference purposes. The method includes the steps of applying an adhesive coating along a moving web of material, applying a release coating to the moving web, folding the web such that the adhesive coating is adhered to the release coating, and cutting the web into individual labels.
Michlin, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,967, discloses a tab marking system for supplying discrete tabs provided with repositionable glue disposed adjacent first terminal ends thereof which may be adhered to multi-page documents to flag particular pages. The tab marking system comprises a first ply of paper having at least two discrete tabs die cut therein separated by a spacer and a second ply of paper disposed under the first ply covering at least a portion of the discrete tabs.
Michlin further describes a barrier coating disposed on said second ply in facing relation to the repositionable glue in order to prevent adhesion of the repositionable glue to the second ply. Embodiments of the invention include an adhering agent disposed on the discrete tabs adjacent second terminal ends thereof to removably hold second terminal ends integral with the first ply of paper until removal of the tabs is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,265 issued to Groess concerns an advertising assembly which comprises a paper or polymeric backing layer having opposite major surfaces printed with advertising indicia. The assembly further includes a plurality of sheets each comprising a layer of flexible polymeric material having a coating of repositionable pressure sensitive adhesive on one of its side surfaces on a second end portion adjacent a second end while being free of adhesive on both of its side surfaces along a first end portion. The sheets are releasably adhered in parallel rows to the first surface of the backing layer by the coatings of pressure sensitive adhesive with the sheets in each row being positioned with their side edge surfaces adjacent and with their first end portions aligned, and can be printed with advertising.
Patentee Miles, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,907,825, presents a sheet for temporarily marking portions of documents. The sheet includes an elongate layer of polymeric material that is flexible and includes a repositionable adhesive on one end portion thereof. A second end of the sheet is free of adhesive and is visually distinctive. The sheets may be stacked and provided through a dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,154, granted to Thomas-Cote, provides a computer printer compatible index tab assembly including a carrier sheet recognizable by any of a wide variety of computer compatible printing devices. The carrier sheet includes a plurality of self-adhesively secured tabs each formed from a resilient, durable thin film. The self-adhesive is formulated to either permanently or releasably adhere to a peripheral edge of a sheet of material which is to be tagged, labeled or indexed. After printing, the index tab is transferred from the carrier sheet and positioned with the self-adhesive securing the index tab to the sheet of material and with the indicia projecting outwardly from the edge for convenient display.
Bratter, in U.S. Pat. No. D483,405, illustrates an ornamental design for a sheet with removable flags. Anzai, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,202, discloses a page marker carrier assembly which is a unit for transporting a page marker which allows a consumer to open the assembly and remove the page marker and position the marker onto a page of a catalogue.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,358, patentee Hanson, Jr. illustrates a detachable marker tab for temporarily calling attention to a particular portion of a page of a book or other document, the tab being in the form of an elongated strip shaped at one end in the form of a pointer and coated over a portion including the pointer with a pressure sensitive adhesive that allows the marker to be removed without damaging the page. Further described is a retainer for a set of detachable markers.
Despite the highly evolved stage of book marks and magazine flags, there remain certain shortcomings. Chief among these is the lack of easy identification of the exact page being designated or indicated by a flag or tab. For example, when such markers are placed between pages of a book and attached or adhered to a page edge so as to extend outwardly therefrom, they may be placed either on a left page or a right page. Most often, the user applies his or her own convention that places every tag or flag upon the right-side page. When closed, the book or magazine displays all such tags in the same manner. Subsequent access to pages saved or marked in this manner is too often unguided as to whether the right or left page was intended for marking.
Of course, when flags, tabs, markers or tags are temporarily adhered to both page sides (right and left), the issue of which page is designated obviously is resolved. However, the currently available markers for such designation still have shortcomings. This is particularly true where a theme marker is utilized or where a marker is intended to relate to a specific individual or other reference point.
In such cases, as is known in the prior art, icons or indicia are placed on one side of the markers (typically at or near one end thereof for display such that their viewing evokes an intended reference (category, person, and so forth). When the book, magazine or catalogue is in its closed mode, many of the markers will be indistinguishable, since some are then viewed at their reverse (e.g., having been placed on a left page surface and thus having its view reversed on closing the book, magazine or catalogue). The present inventive device and its method of use effectively resolve these and other shortcomings existing in the art.